This is a collection of peer-reviewed academic world history essays and articles. We invite and encourage anyone interested in teaching, researching, or studying world history and global studies to contribute and comment.

The Middle Ground exists only because of the energy and dedication of its chief editor and of its editorial staff. Hong-Ming Liang as chief editor brings to The Middle Ground his expertise in the history of Chinese intellectual journals, an invaluable background that assures this journal’s integrity and vision. The concept of the roundtable format of this particular issue and of several issues to come was developed by Dr. Liang, and the format was perfected through the extensive co-ordination of the efforts of the entire staff. They are: Assistant Editors for Articles: Nathan Godley, Jeanne E. Grant, and Drew Mannetter; Assistant Editors for Reviews: Jodi R.B. Eastberg, John Pincince, and Susan E. Smith; and Contributing Editors: Tracy Barrett, Tanya Maus, and Andrew Jarboe.
At the launch of this first issue, Midwest World History Association is only nine months old: it was officially recognized as an affiliate of the World History Association in January 2010. So this journal also serves as a remarkable and very early testament to the desires of Association members to pool their academic energies and produce a work that will clearly be an important resource for world historians everywhere. It has been my personal pleasure to witness the development of The Middle Ground and to see the wonderful camaraderie and the great sense of humor among everyone involved in its creation.
I also want to thank the College of St. Scholastica for its generous financial support of The Middle Ground. St. Scholastica provides 100% of the Journal’s operating costs, and this allows the editorial staff to focus entirely on its mission to produce a consistently high-quality and ambitious magazine, issue after issue. I also want to mention that it is due to the efforts of Hong-Ming Liang, who is a member of St. Scholastica’s Department of History, that this funding has been secured.
In closing, I just want to say that it is an honor as well as a great deal of fun to be part of the MWWHA. This Association provides a remarkable opportunity for world historians everywhere to connect with one another. The Middle Ground admirably records these kinds of connections, and in doing so it contributes to the timely and exciting conversations that are at the heart of world history.

Paul Jentz
President, Midwest World History Association

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